Thu, Aug 19 10 08:38 PM
New Delhi, Aug 19 (PTI) Commonwealth Games Federation President Michael Fennell today downplayed Dawn Fraser''s fears of a Munich-like terror attack during the CWG here, saying the Australian swimming legend was not sufficiently informed to make such a statement. "It has been dealt with by the Australian Commonwealth Games Association. We should respect freedom of speech but I think she is not sufficiently informed to make such a statement," Fennell said at a press conference after ending his two-day inspection of venues of the controversy-marred Games. Fraser today called on athletes to boycott the Commonwealth Games fearing a Munich Olympics like terror attack during the Delhi mega event. "The Indians are telling us that security will be right. But they''ve also been telling us for months that their stadiums are ready to go too and quite obviously they''re not," Fraser, winner of eight Olympic medals, said. "I would hate to see another Munich but, with things getting worse and worse, I have grave concerns. I know the Australian Commonwealth Games Association is doing everything it can with security, but what''s at the other end of the tunnel?" she asked. Australian Commonwealth Games Association was prompt to reject her apprehensions and said that the Indian capital would be safe and secure. "I don''t think Dawn''s been to Delhi recently and I don''t think she has the information we have, if she did I don''t think she would have made the comments she did," ACGA Chief Executive Perry Crosswhite said. "We believe at this stage, it will be safe and it will be secure. My personal view is that the Commonwealth Games is not going to be a target, because most of the nations in the Commonwealth are developing nations, we have all religions and we have all political systems," he added. During the 1972 Munich Olympics, 11 Israeli athletes, coaches and officials were taken hostage and killed by Palestinian terrorists.
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